Rotary cylinder structure



Aug. 7, 1934. A. MATTHEWS ROTARY CYLINDER STRUCTURE Filed Nov. 3, 1932 ATTORNEYS INVENTOR 4455/? 7' Mfr-HEM) l atentecl Aug. 7, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT ROTARY CYLINDER STRUCTURE Application November 3, 1932, Serial No. 641,026

6 Claims.

My invention relates to a cylinder structure such as is adapted for use as a washing machine cylinder or a drying tumbler cylinder, and the objects of my invention are to provide a cylinder of rigid and sturdy construction that enables the structure to withstand the severe shocks, strains and the hard usage it is subjected to during the time it is in service; to provide a cylinder in which the parts are easily assembled and wherein the parts lend themselves readily to the fabrication of the cylinder by spot welding as a means for securing the parts together; and to provide a cylinder that presents no cylinder body sheet seams on its inner surface whereon goods being treated can be caught or otherwise damaged during the treating operation.

Various other objects and advantageous features of my invention will be seen in the following description and one embodiment thereof may be seen in the accompanying drawing wherein similar characters of reference designate corresponding parts, and wherein:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a cylinder con-'- structed in accordance with my invention, parts being broken away to show the detailed end construction; Fig. 2 is a sectional view of the cylinder taken on the line 2 2 of Fig. l; and Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional View showing the manner in which the ribs, fill pieces, and cylinder sheets are arranged when assembled.

In the drawing, I have shown a cylinder consisting of annular head sheets 1 having a flange 2 adapted to receive a transmitter 3 provided with a recessed portion 4 for a driving or supporting connection with a g'udgeon not shown. While only one end of the cylinder is-shown in detail, it will be understood that the construction is identical at both ends thereof.

The outer wall of the cylinder is made up of separate cylinder body sheets 5, 6, 7 and 8 so arranged as to provide an opening 9 in the cylinder which is covered by a door 10, slidabl'e from closed to opened position in guideways 11 and 12, the edges of the sheets 5 and 8 adjacent the opening 9 having door stops or abutment members 13 and 14 thereon. These members 13 and 14 are so arranged that, in addition to acting as door movement limiting means, 'they also restrain the upper and lower edges of the door from bulging outwardly or otherwise being dis- .torted due to the work in the cylinder pounding against the door during cylinder rotation.-

The usual work lifting means including lifting ribs 15, 16, 1'1 and 13 are provided for lifting the work during cylinder rotation and causing it to tumble within the cylinder, and the cylinder is so constructed and arranged that the lifting ribs extend through coincidental grooves in the head sheets 1 and transmitters 3 that form openings 19 and, in order to aid an attachment of these lifting ribs to the head sheets 1, stirrup members 20 are provided embodying two surfaces, one of which is adapted to rest against the inner surfaces of the head sheets 1 and the other of which is adapted to abut against the outer surfaces of the lifting ribs. These stirrup members are disposed adjacent the lifting rib receiving grooves in the head sheets and are adapted to be secured to the head sheets and to the lifting ribs by spot welding. H

In accordance with my invention, the cylinder sheet 5 has its edge which is adjacent the opening 9 substantially straight or unbent, this edge being adapted to, receive the abutment member 13 which is spot welded thereto. The liftingrrib 15 is formed as an integral part of the sheet 5 which conforms to the contour of the cylinder and is of a size to extend from the lifting rib 15 to the next succeeding rib 16, the edge of the sheet 5 adjacent the rib 16 being bent as at 21 to form a channel in which one of the free ends of the rib 16 which, like the ribs 17 and 18, extend outwardly beyond the circumference of the cylinder wall as shown, is disposed and is spot welded thereto. Thus, no cylinder body sheet seams are provided in the length of the cylinder body sheet with which work within the cylinder contacts. It will be noted that the remaining body sheets 6, '7 and 8 do not have a lifting rib formed integrally therewith, the lifting ribs 16, 17 and 18 being independent of the body sheets. Also, the body sheets 6 and 7 have both of their ends bent as at 22 to form channels in which freeends of the lifting ribs 16, 17 and 18 are adapted to be disposed, the body sheet 8 having only one of its ends bent as at 23 to form a channel for the purpose of fitting over one free end of thelifting rib 18 and its opposite end unbent and adapted to receive the lower door stop or abutment member 14 which is spot welded thereto.

In the assembly of this cylinder, the lifting rib stirrups 20 are first spot welded to the head sheets 1 adjacent the grooves in the head sheets which move to form the openings 19 and the lifting ribs 16, 17 and 18 are disposed in the openings 19 and the surfaces of the stirrups 20 abutting thereagainst are spot welded thereto. After this much of the assembly, I have what I term the chassis of the cylinder whichmay'be placed in a suitable fixture to permit presentation of different parts of the chassis to the desired point for the assembly of the remainder of the cylinder parts.

Then, starting with the small cylinder body sheet 8, the lower door stop or abutment member 14 is spot welded thereto, a lifting rib fill piece 24 is disposed between the free ends of the lifting rib 18 and the bent edge 23 of the sheet 8 that forms a channel is disposed over one free end of the lifting rib 18 and one bent edge of the fill piece 24 and spot welded thereto. Next, the channel shaped edge of the cylinder sheet 7 is placed over the other 'free end of the lifting rib 13 and the other bent edge of the fill piece 24 and spot welded thereto. Continuing, the other channel shaped edge of the cylinder sheet "I is placed over one free end of the lifting rib l7 and one bent edge of a fill piece 25 similar to the fill piece 24 and disposed between the free ends of the lifting rib 17, this channel shaped edge of the cylinder sheet '7 being spot welded to the one free end of the lifting rib 17 and the other bent edge of the fill piece 25.

Continuing on around the cylinder, one channel shaped edge 22 of the cylinder body sheet 6 is assembled with the other free end of the rib 17 and the other bent edge of the fillpiece 25 and these parts are secured together by spot welding. In a like manner, the opposite channel shaped edge 22 of the cylinder body sheet 6 is assembled with one free end of the lifting rib- 16 and one bent edge of a fill piece 26 that is simi-- lar to the fill pieces 2% and 25, these parts being then spot welded together. Lastly, the channel shaped bent edge 21 of the cylinder body sheet 5 is assembled with the other free end of the lifting rib 16 and the other bent edge of the fill piece 26 and these parts spot welded together. Of course, prior to this, the sheet 5 has been so positioned that the lifting rib '15 which forms an integral part of the body sheet 5 is disposed in its cooperating opening 19 with the proper welds being made between one surface of the stirrup member 20 abutting the rib 15 and the rib. In Fig. 2, it will be noted that the rib fill piece or cover plate for the lifting rib 15 is formed by a continuation of the upper door stop or abutment member 12, this arrangement being to eliminate extensions beyond the circumference of the cylinder at that point which would prevent sliding of the door 10 from closed to opened position or vice versa. The rib fill pieces24, 25 and 26, and

the cover plate just described, are provided for the purpose of preventing flow of treating liquid into and out of the cylinder through the lifting ribs. However, such fill pieces may be omitted if desired but the channel shaped edges of the cylinder sheets would then be bent to receive the free ends of the lifting ribs only.

When the cylinder is thus far constructed, the door slides 11 and 12 are attached to the cylinder, preferably by spot welding and the door or doors are placed in proper position. Then, the final welding operation and cylinder assembly opera- .tion consists in welding the flanges 2 of the head sheets 1 to the ends of the cylinder body sheets welding as a means for securing these parts to gether.

Referring to the drawing and the preceding description, it will be seen that I have provided a cylinder structure wherein the parts are so designed and arranged that the cylinder readily lends itself to fabrication by spot welding as a means for connecting the parts together, the cylinder parts being so constructed and arranged as to provide a rigid structure which will resist disalignment of parts due to twisting stress resulting from rotatably driving the cylinder at its end or ends. Further, I have provided a cylinder structure that is relatively simple as well as one wherein there are no cylinder body sheet seams within the cylinder and with which the work may contact during rotation of the cylinder, thereby reducing the Wear on the goods and eliminate the possibility of their being caught in or by these seams and injured.

What I claim is:

1. A cylinder, comprising headsheets, a plurality of body sheets, and lifting ribs connecting the head sheets, said ribs having free ends extending outwardly beyond the periphery of the cylinder body, and said body sheets extending from one rib to the next and having their edges bent to form channels which set over the free ends of said ribs for attachment thereto.

2. A cylinder, comprising head sheets, a plurality of body sheets, and lifting ribsconnecting thehead sheets, said ribs having free ends extending outwardly beyond the periphery of the cylinder body, and said body sheets extending h from one rib to the next and having their edges 110 bent to form channels which set overthe free ends of said ribs for attachment thereto, and rib fill pieces interfitting between the free ends of said ribs. I I

'3. A cylinder, comprising head sheets, a plurality of body sheets, and lifting ribs connecting the head sheets, said ribs having free ends extending outwardly beyond the periphery of the cylinder body, and said body sheets extending from one rib'to the next except at one point 120 wherein a door opening is provided and having their edges bent to form channelswhich set over the free ends of said ribs for attachment thereto, and a door for said opening.

4. A cylinder, comprising head sheets, a plurality of body sheets, and lifting ribs connecting thehead sheets, said ribs having free ends extending outwardly beyond the periphery of the cylinder body, and said body sheets extending from one rib to the next'except atone point wherein a door opening is provided and having their edges bent to form channels which set over the free ends of said ribs for attachment thereto,

and a'door for saidopening, and rib fill pieces interfitting between thev free ends of said ribs.

1'35 5. In a cylinder of the class described, a head sheet having a lifting-rib-receiving recess, a longitudinally extending channel-shaped lifting rib disposed in said recess and having edge parts extending therefrombeyond said-head sheet, a 1110 fill piece disposed in the'mouth of said rib with outwardly turned flanges in abutting relation with said lifting rib edges, and cylinder-wall sheets f'on oppositev sides of said lifting rib, each wall sheet having its main 'body part overlaid 1115 upon said head. sheet, and an edge .part bent over and about the nearextendi'ng lifting rib and fill piece parts and welded thereto. 7 '6. In a cylinder of-the class described, a head 'sheethaving a lifting-.ribereceiving recess, a lon- 1'50 the near extending lifting rib and fill piece parts 7 and welded thereto, said head sheet having an outwardly turned flange underlying said well sheet body parts with a. recess to receive said lifting rib, and a stirrup extending along the joint between head sheet and lifting rib and welded to both.

ALBERT MATTHEWS. 

